Alexander Leffers

While my full name is Alexander Leffers, everyone calls me Alex. Four letters to fingerspell my name! Easy! I am Manager of Communications and Community Engagement with DEDI.  My work is multifaceted - I serve as a leader, educator, advocate, communicator, consultant and a collaborator. 

My responsibilities are numurous, but basically, I design, coordinate and implement internal and external communication strategies and facilitate community conversations regarding equity, diversity and inclusion issues. I provide consulting and coaching services to internal and external clients. I work with units and departments on campus to engage in equity, diversity and inclusive excellence efforts. 

I also provide anti-racism and anti-oppression training, in collaboration with my colleagues and I am working to support the journeys of other white people interested in engaging in anti-oppression work. Allyship is key to dismantling oppression and that is my most passionate endeavor.

Diversity work cannot be done in a bubble -- or in a silo. We must collaborate with other units, organizations and individuals.  This is why community engagement is so important and that is why I'm here. I'm committed to bringing communities together as one collective force, to create positive change with the goal of making Gallaudet a place where everyone, regardless of their background feels as if they are welcome here and they belong.

A bit about me, on a personal level:

I am a man, assigned female at birth (AFAB) and I use masculine pronouns (he, his, him).  I came out as a lesbian in 1987, when I was a Gallaudet student, then later I came out as a transgender man in 1999.  After therapy, I started testosterone treatments and had top surgery in 2000. I later had a hystorectomy in 2021.  

I am experienced educator on LGBTQ+ community and transgender issues. Ever since my inaugural workshop offered during Gallaudet’s Diversity Day on LGBT issues in 2001, I have presented in many classrooms, events and conferences. I have traveled to several states to offer trainings to Deaf schools, Deaf clubs and organizations. In 2018, I presented at NAD’s conference, in Hartford, CT. I have also consulted with three deaf schools on policymaking and how to work with transgender and non-binary students and staff.

I’m equally passionate about all dismantling racism, audism, ageism and all the other -isms. I believe in the power of diversity and that we would be lost without it. 

The bulk of my professional experience has been in communications. I am a writer, editor, graphic designer and web developer. I worked at University Communications as web content developer and editor for three years and prior to that, I worked as a graphic designer for nearly 20 years. My creativity is being put to good use here at DEDI, as I manage of our communications efforts.

I am married, to my partner of 27 years, Valerie and we live in Maryland with our dog, Baby and two cats, Zoë and Rocky.